Oakland Restaurant Burdell Faces Backlash Over Service Charge Policy

Owner Geoff Davis says he received "hostile and hateful" threats after pushback on the restaurant's 20% service charge.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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The owner of the acclaimed Oakland restaurant Burdell, Geoff Davis, has faced a firestorm of criticism and threats over the restaurant's policy of including a 20% service charge on all bills instead of a traditional tipping model. The controversy began with an angry Reddit post and escalated after a California Post article portrayed the service charge as an expression of "woke" West Coast culture. Davis, who is Black, says the service charge is meant to provide a living wage and benefits for his diverse staff of food service professionals.

Why it matters

The debate over service charges versus tipping has become increasingly contentious, with restaurants facing pushback from some customers over the practice. This case highlights the challenges restaurants face in trying to provide fair and equitable compensation for their staff amid rising costs and changing consumer expectations.

The details

Burdell, which was named the top restaurant in the Bay Area by the San Francisco Chronicle, has included a 20% service charge since it opened in 2022. The charge goes towards funding 40% of the restaurant's payroll, allowing it to provide a stable wage and benefits for all hourly employees. Until this month, the restaurant had received no complaints about the policy. However, an angry Reddit post about the charge sparked a wave of negative responses, including what Davis described as "hostile and hateful" threats. The controversy escalated after a California Post article portrayed the service charge as an expression of "woke" West Coast culture, leading to further backlash and racist attacks against Davis and his staff.

  • On February 3, a Reddit user posted a complaint about Burdell's service charge policy.
  • On February 6, SFGATE published an article about the Reddit controversy.
  • On February 7, the California Post published an article that Davis said mischaracterized the service charge policy.

The players

Geoff Davis

The Black owner of Burdell restaurant in Oakland, who implemented a 20% service charge to provide a living wage and benefits for his staff.

Burdell

An acclaimed Oakland restaurant that was named the top restaurant in the Bay Area by the San Francisco Chronicle in 2024.

California Post

A new conservative tabloid owned by Rupert Murdoch that published an article about Burdell's service charge policy that Davis said mischaracterized the issue.

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What they’re saying

“We got crazy voicemails, stuff I couldn't believe someone would say to a stranger.”

— Geoff Davis, Owner, Burdell

“Tipping in the US has an ugly past, allowing the continuation of underpaid labor. Included on your check is a 20% Service Charge which we use to provide healthcare and pay hourly staff a consistent, livable wage that is not dependent on chance or archaic customs. No additional tip necessary.”

— Burdell

“There (are) so many restaurants that do this. This is a scary thing and it feels unfair. That's the thing that has kept me up.”

— Geoff Davis, Owner, Burdell

What’s next

Davis said he hopes the controversy will die down, but he remains concerned about the safety of his staff in the face of the ongoing threats and attacks.

The takeaway

This case highlights the challenges restaurants face in trying to provide fair compensation for their staff, as well as the backlash they can face from some customers over policies like service charges. It also raises questions about how race and perceptions of "woke" culture can play into these debates.